The
Royal Danish Theatre - The Danish National Stage
Denmark’s
National Theatre is The Royal Danish Theatre and since
1748 been located at Kongens Nytorv
in the very heart of Copenhagen.
Theatre
since 1748
The very first Theatre building seated 800 spectators
and was at that time to little for a city of the size
of Copenhagen. On the occasion of the opening of the
theatre in 1748 - there were just 8
actors and 4 actresses - and
they performed French comedies. In 1774
the theatre was rebuilt to house a larger audience.
The Theatre was a sort of Comedy House and over the
following years the Royal Danish Theatre was established
as a venue for all the performing arts
- ballet - opera - dramas - plays and the royal orchestra.
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The
first comedy house on Kongens Nytorv from 1748,
where the actors performed French comedies and
plays. In 1774 the theatre was rebuilt to house
a larger audience. |
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The
new Royal Theatre completed in 1874 |
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The
new Royal Danish Theatre in 1885 was completed
in 1874 - with seating facilities for almost 1600
theatregoers - and a special designed balcony
for members of the Royal family. |
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New
Theatre – 1874 and Nicolai Eigtved
A new Theatre House called “The Old Stage”
was build and inaugurated in 1874 - seating 1600 people
and equipped with a special balcony for members of the
Royal family. The building that houses the Royal Danish
Theatre is designed by the royal court architect and
master of Danish rococo Nicolai Eigtved
(1701-1754) - who also was the master planner of fashionable
Frederiksstad quarters, where the Amalienborg palaces
are located.
Hans
Christian Andersen
It was in this Royal Theatre the famous author Hans
Christian Andersen (1805-1875) at the age of
14 challenged his ambitions to start
a career in the theatrical world as an actor,
singer and ballet-dancer. It was during this theatrical
environment between 1820–1850
the Golden Age of fine arts started and the Royal Danish
Theatre became the centre of world culture - according
to many Danes! |
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Goethe
performed at the Old Stage |
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The
classic drama Faust from 1814 by Johann Wolfgang
Goethe performed at the Old Stage in a new set
up and a new challenging performance. © The
Royal Danish Theatre. |
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Cat
on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams - won
the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1955, performed
on the Old Stage with Trine Dyrholm. © The
Royal Danish Theatre - Photo Thomas Petri. |
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| Drama
by Tennessee Williams |
The
New Stage
Later a new theatre building created in Art Deco style
called “The New Stage”
was inaugurate in 1931 - primarily to be used for comedies
and more modern plays. Today
The Theatre’s programme is highly diversified
- and features more than 600 annual performances
of drama - ballet and opera conducted on 6 large stages
that are spread all over the city.
The Royal Danish Ballet
The Royal Danish Ballet is world famous and has given
hundreds of international performances worldwide. The
Ballet School was established in 1771 and Vincenzo
Galeotti was the first Ballet Master in 1775
to bring stability to the theatre. He is announced as
the father of the Royal Danish Ballet - creating around
50 works for the Danish stage before his death in 1816.
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Hans
Christian Andersen (1805-1875) challenged his
ambitions at the age of 14 to start a career in
the theatrical world at Royal Theatre - without
much success. He later became a world famous writer.
Painting by C. A. Jensen 1936. |
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The
founder of the Danish ballet August Bournonville
(1805-1879) - who created a ballet style based
on specific ideals and unique training techniques
for the ballet corps and soloists. Painting by
Carl Bloch 1876. |
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August
Bournonville
The most renowned name in Danish ballet is that of August
Bournonville (1805-1879). It is due to him
that a clearly defined style of ballet was created,
based on specific ideals and unique
training techniques. His works were numerous,
and about ten of them are still being performed to this
day. The Royal Danish Ballet thus possesses a treasure
trove of 19th century ballets unmatched by any other
company in the world.
Harald Lander
Another great period of the Danish Royal Ballet came
in 1932 - when Harald Lander
took over the management of the corps. He both adapted
traditional ballets and choreographed original works
for the company - thus creating prominent works and
legendary stage productions that won international praise
and recognition. |
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Ballet
“Manon” by Abbe Prevost |
The
ballet “Manon” by Abbe Prevost is
performed at the Royal Theatre in 3 Acts and 7
Scenes - and was first performed in 1974 by Britain's
Royal Ballet. © The Royal Danish Theatre
- Photo Henrik Stenberg. |
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Harald
Lander’s classical ballet “Etudes”
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Harald
Lander’s classical ballet “Etudes”
is one of the most respected and demanding works
to perform for ballet dancers. Schumann’s
2nd Symphony accompanies the performance. |
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The
Danish Ballet Company
Even though the Danish Ballet Company has to maintain
a repertoire of some breadth - from Bournonville to
barefoot stomps - the backbone of the Danish Ballet
Company at Kongens Nytorv remains the works of August
Bournonville, who was effectively celebrated in 2005
of the bicentenary of his birth. The Danish
Ballet Corps has an international reputation
of having one of the finest corps of dancers in the
world, incorporating foreign as well as native-born
talents that have performed all over the world.
The
Royal Danish Opera
Opera was the favourite pastime of the royal Danish
court - and in the early days only Italian operas were
performed with entrusted actors - who had been imported
from abroad.
Weyse and Kuhlau
Soon efforts were made to create musical drama in a
national setup and during the first decades of the 1800’s
the most prominent Danish composers of new musical productions
were Weyse and Kuhlau. It was the appointment
in 1883 of Norwegian composer Johan
Svendsen to the post of conductor that started
the golden age of opera at the Royal Danish Theatre.
The 1900’s saw a whole range
of enterprising Musical Directors serving the theatre
for all of 50 years, from 1925 to 1975. |
Opera
with Danish sub titles |
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One
of the earliest masterpieces in operatic history
“ Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria” performed
at the Old Stage. Ulisse was performed in Italian
with Danish sub titles. © The Royal Danish
Theatre - Photo Martin Mydtskov Rønne. |
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Puccini’s
classic opera ”Tosca” |
Puccini’s
classic opera ”Tosca” is one of the
most dramatic of operas ever played at the Old
Stage - and is based on Victorien Sardou's drama,
La Tosca. The opera premiered in Rome 1900. ©
The Royal Danish Theatre - Photo Miklos Szabo. |
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Development
of the Danish Opera
Since 1990 - the Royal Danish Theatre
has made a consistent attempt both to promote the opera
in an international scale and to improve genuine artistic
values in a larger dimension. The opera boasts a large
ensemble of gifted soloists of which many pursue successful
international careers in opera houses all over the world.
Increased public interest
Over the past decades - The Royal Danish Opera has seen
an increase in public interest and various efforts have
been made to reach out to potential audiences from the
younger generation of theatregoers.
New Opera House
Further development of the Royal Danish Opera will take
place in the new “Opera House” on
the island of Holmen - which has spacious facilities
and ideal for major romantic and classic opera productions
together with a fantastic acoustic sound excellence
that gives the audience an outstanding experience and
extraordinary performance. |
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The
Royal Danish Orchestra |
The
Royal Danish Orchestra (Det Kongelige Kapel) is
based in the Royal Danish Theatre and is the oldest
orchestra in the world. Their roots originate
from the musicians and trumpeters that served
the court of King Christian I (1426-1481). |
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Outstanding
art performances since 1874 |
After
more than a century - the old theatre building
from 1874 is still standing majestic and pompous
- while overlooking Kongens Nytorv with many years
of history and outstanding art performances for
theatre lovers and theatregoers. |
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Location
The Royal Danish Theatre is located on Kongens
Nytorv (Kings Square) and is a part of all
the exclusive buildings and mansions that surround the
square. Nearby is Nyhavn - the Pedestrian
Street "Strøget" -
Hvids Vinstue (Vine bar from 1773)
- The French Embassy - Charlottenborg
- Hotel
D'Angleterre and
the Metro Station. |
The
Royal Danish Theatre
Address
Det Kongelige Teater
The Royal Danish Theatre
Kongens Nytorv
1055 Copenhagen K
Busses:
A1 - 15 - 26 - 20E and 350S
Trains
- Metro Station at Kongens Nytorv
Distance
from Town Hall Square 6 km. and expect 25-30 min. by
walk.
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The
Royal Danish Theatre
(Denmark's National Theatre)
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The Opera - on the island of Holmen
Address
Operaen
The Opera
Ekvipagemestervej 10
1438 København K
Busses: 66
Yellow Harbour Busses
Copenhagen Water Taxi |
| The
Opera - on the island of Holmen. |
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| The
Royal Danish Playhouse
Address
Skuespilhuset
Sankt Annæ Plads 36
1250 København K
Busses: 29 - 65E
Water Taxi - Copenhagen Water Taxi sails to and from
the Royal Playhouse
Distance from Town Hall Square 5 km. and expect
20-30 min. by walk.
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The
Royal Danish Playhouse at the waterfront of the
city harbour - is situated opposite the Opera. |
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